via Hue News, 28 July 2023: The Hue Monuments Conservation Center (HMCC) commemorated Vietnam Books and Reading Culture Day by showcasing a diverse collection of artifacts from the Nguyen Dynasty, including ancient books, official documents, and noble titles donated to the Hue Museum of Royal Antiquities (HMRA) by individuals and organizations. This year, on the […]
via Vietnam Plus, 28 July 2023: An archaeological team from the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences and the Bac Kan provincial museum discovered nearly 200 relics, including stone, bone, and pottery items dating back approximately 8,000 to 10,000 years ago at caves in the northern province of Bac Kan. The findings indicate traces of prehistoric people, early Neolithic inhabitants, and Metal Age settlers.
President Marcos Jr. inaugurates the National Museum in Cebu, showcasing rich cultural treasures and diverse exhibits, open to the public for free from August 1.
via Phnom Penh Post, 27 July 2023: The APSARA National Authority’s stone conservation team in Cambodia is restoring the naga balustrade at Banteay Samre temple, carefully preserving its historical significance and ensuring visitors’ access to the temple.
via Khmer Times, 28 July 2023: APSARA National Authority removes stone blocks from Bayon Temple ponds for restoration.
via Sapiens, 27 July 2023: This op ed was written in response to the controversial Homo Naledi claim. Research has dispelled earlier claims that Homo floresiensis used fire, but misconceptions persist despite corrective efforts by scientists
via Penh Post, 27 July 2023: The APSARA National Authority (ANA) in Cambodia is preparing to trial new tour circuits for Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei temples, aiming to improve travel experiences for both local and foreign visitors with a variety of options and infrastructure modifications.
via Khaosod English, 26 July 2023: The Thai Cabinet approved increased entrance fees for foreigners at historic sites and national museums, while Thai nationals’ rates remain unchanged since 2008. Some museums also eliminated fees for foreign language audio guides. The issue of dual pricing is sore spot for many foreigners living in Thailand, but in my (controversial) opinion, I am not opposed to this form of dual pricing because this pricing suggests that Thais are entitled to access their heritage, while for everyone else it is a privilege.
via Laotian Times, 26 July 2023: Authorities in Xieng Khouang Province have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CNP Import-Export Trading Company to conduct a feasibility study for managing parts of the UNESCO-registered Plain of Jars archaeological site in Laos.
via Cambodian Ministry of Information, 25 July 2023: The stone conservation team of the APSARA National Authority has been working on repairing a 24-meter-long Naga balustrade at the Banteay Samre Temple for almost two months, aiming to enhance the temple's value by preserving the original stones as much as possible.
via VNS/Vietnam Net, 26 July 2023: Hoi An will host the 19th Hoi An-Japan Cultural Exchange to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic ties, featuring art performances, exhibitions, a reenactment of a historic wedding procession, food court, and cultural events.
via Mongabay, 25 July 2023: Research conducted in Papua reveals that language and archaeological remains spread between Austronesian and Australo-Papuan cultures without direct contact, influenced by interactions during the late Pleistocene when the sea level was lower and land bridges connected Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and the Aru Islands.
George Town World Heritage Incorporated has an internship programme to provide practical onsite training on World Heritage Site Management, with new interns accepted every quarter. The deadline for applications for the next batch of interns is 1 September 2023.
via Asian Archaeology, 19 July 2023: A field report by Skopal et al. on newly-discovered jar sites at the Plain of Jars.
via Philippine Star, 25 July 2023: A Philippine celebrity's gala look stirs controversy as she wears centuries-old gold jewelry from Butuan and Surigao, made from what is thought to be funerary masks from looted contexts.
via Global New Light of Myanmar, 25 July 2023: The Department of Archaeology and National Museum in Myanmar is planning to conduct research on the Pyu period costumes, genetics, and life-span calculations of the Pyu people.
via Khmer Times, 25 July 2023: The Apsara National Authority introduced new time-limited tours for Angkor Wat and Banteay Srei temples, but some residents and tour guides are expressing dissatisfaction with the scheduled time constraints for tourists.
via Rhode Island Current, 24 July 2023: Controversy surrounding Brown University's new performing arts center, named after the Lindemann family, who were implicated in the theft of Cambodian antiquities, leading to outrage and demands for the return of the artifacts from the Cambodian community.
via Scientific Reports, 18 July 2023: Caron et al. presents a new interpretation of the eruptive history of the Indonesian Young Toba Tuff, suggesting that the volcanic activity lasted much longer, around 50,000 years, with the main explosive phase spanning about 10,000 years and consisting of 6 eruptive events, potentially impacting global climate and human migration and evolution.
via Malay Mail, 24 July 2023: Archaeologists uncover 14,000-year-old female skeleton in Nenggiri Valley with hematite, potentially used as face powder and in burial rituals, under conservation study at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia for prehistoric human bone characteristics database
via the VERA Files, 23 July 2023: The earliest plant tool use in Southeast Asia, reveals prehistoric ingenuity from 39,000 years ago in Palawan.
The Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts is opening its call for proposals for its 2024 grant programme. The details of the different categories of programmes can be downloaded from the link below. The deadline for submission is 31 August, 2023.
Call for Papers by ICOM on a volume related to museums and museology. Deadline is 02 October 2023.
The Faculty of Archaeology, Silpakorn University, in partnership with School of Foreign Languages and Center for Studies of Eastern Literatures of Peking University, is holding their next in the series of their international symposium, “Art and Culture in ASIA”, themed on "Museum and Gallery" on 5 and 6 August 2023